Improvement in corpse-preservers



B. 0. PEEK.

Gorpse-Preservers. NO. 145,307, Patented Dec.9,1873.

Iii/flawam the corpse, surmounted by a receptacle for ice,

-off all moisture without a side elevation of the device.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE cHARLES 0. PEGK, OF PITTSFIELD, ASSIGNOR To WILLIAM LESTER, OF

. SOUTH HADLEY, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEM ENT IN CORPSE-PRESERVERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,307, dated December 9, 1873; application filed September 26, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES O. PEoK, of Pittsfield, Berkshire county, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Corpse- Preserver, of which the following is a specification:

My invention has for its object the preservation of the bodies of the dead for removal to distant points, or for their retention at any point for a convenient time and consists, in brief, of a compartment for the reception of provision being made for the free circulation around the body of cold air, and for carrying permitting it to come in contact with the body.

In the drawings, Figure I is a horizontal section through the ice-box. Fig. II shows the ice-box removed. Fig. III is a vertical section on the line a: Fig. IV; and Fig. IV is In Fig. II. is shown the box B for containing the body, which is laid within it and upon the sieve b, which itself rests upon cleats d (l, 850., or other convenient points of support upon the bottom of box B, the head of the corpse being received within the compartment or offset H, which is closed by glass, and covered also by a slide, h, which permits the face to be viewed. The box B contains also the tank D in its end, theuse of which is hereinafter described. The ice-box O, which has the same horizontal section as the box B, rests upon the latter, and the joint may be packed with felt or other convenient material to make it air-tight, while hooks or other fastenings hold the parts B and O securely together. The bottom of the box 0, which comes immediately over the dead, is formed of troughs, as shown in section, Fig. III. These troughs extend the length of box 0, being secured at their ends thereto, the upper troughs n n, 800., being inverted over the spaces between the edges of the lower ones m m, &c., shed all water into the lower ones, while permitting the cold air to descend to the box B. At the lower ends of troughs m m, &c., are Short tubes to conduct the water of the melted ice to the tank D, where it is, in turn, carried outside by the trappipe S. Upon the top of troughs n n,

&c., I place the wire screen or sieve l to hold the ice, to prevent it from sinking into the troughs to interfere with the free circulation of air. The box C is provided with the top 0, and the preserver has two sets of handles, R R and T T, one Set being for the removal of compartment 0, and the other for the purpose of enabling the whole device to be transported. The entire inside wall I prefer to form of zinc or other sheet metal not easily oxidized, while the outside surface may be madeof ornamental work.

The joints of the top 0, and of the compartments 0 and B, being properly packed, a perfectly air-tight case is formed, in which dry cold air is constantly circulating around the body to preserve it, while the melted ice is conveniently conveyed away; and a device is formed by which a corpse can be easily transferred, and kept an indefinite time.

By experiment, I have found that, with ice alone, the temperature is reduced within box B to 36 Fahrenheit, while, by the use of a small quantity of salt with the ice, it can be made to sink to below 32.

Now having described my invention, what I claim is- The combination of box 0 with its troughs m m, &c., and n n, &c., and sieve P, with the box B with its sieve b, and tank D with outlet S, the parts being constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described. CHAS. O. PEOK.

IVitnesses:

B. F. HYDE, J. E. LAMBIE. 

